


Untraveled Road

by akissmar



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi is slightly ooc because he's got a crush on Ryuji, Akechi just yearns for affection, But there is a happy ending i swear, Endgame Spoilers!, Enemies With Benefits, Enemies to Lovers, First Time, Fluff, I'm a sucker for rare-pairs, M/M, Ryuji's got a crush as well but he's in strong denial, Smut, So does Ryuji, a bit angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 21:57:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13133031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akissmar/pseuds/akissmar
Summary: Ryuji doesn’t really know when or why exactly the whole situation escalated. Probably somewhere between pretending not to hate Akechi’s guts and going home with him. But at this point he has so many secrets, having one with the guy that plans to kill his best friend shouldn’t be that much of a deal. And it’ll be over soon anyway...





	Untraveled Road

**Author's Note:**

> The setting at the beginning is early November, after completing Nijima’s palace but before sending the calling card.
> 
> Title inspired by the Thousand Foot Krutch song; I was listening to it while thinking about this story and thought that it kind of fit.
> 
> ~ Have fun reading and Merry Christmas to all other rare-pair-shippers out there!
> 
> [Heavily revised in September 2018. It's still trash but now it should be readable trash]

It sure had been an exhausting day.

They had met up after school and went to Mementos for some of the quests Mishima had dug up for them - what surely hadn’t been as exhausting as exploring Nijima Sae’s palace but still tired Ryuji out a lot. It was always like this. As long as he was Skull, wearing his mask and his leather outfit, he felt like he could go on fighting forever. Summoning his Persona, taking on Shadows, dodging or taking hits. But as soon as they returned to reality, when his vision got blurry and red and the next thing he saw was Shibuya’s busyness around them, the exhaustion kicked in and he felt like crawling into bed and reading some manga before falling asleep.

Today the urge was especially strong.

And so he passed on Akira’s offer to come back to his place and get some curry. Not that he wasn’t hungry but the thought alone of being in a group of so many people any longer, maybe even getting into another bicker with Ann or Morgana, was wearing him out.

Ann was looking at him in surprise when he declined, then snickered and said that he probably just had schoolwork to do he had to finish last minute.

Ryuji grinned at this sheepishly, pretending like it was actually the case. (And, theoretically, if he were to care a little more about his grades, it would actually be. But at least he had an excuse that way.)

Akechi declined as well, claiming he had some paperwork to do, and he didn’t got teased for not tagging along. Just another proof that he wasn’t fully integrated into their group. Not that Ryuji cared much, that guy was a fraudulent bastard after all.

But he soon started to care enough about the situation when his friends said their goodbyes and went into the direction of the subway station while he was left standing next to Akechi. Great.

“Well, then,” the blond said a bit awkwardly “I’ll go to the bookstore real quick and then go home. See ‘ya.”

He had just turned to leave when he heard a quiet “Wait.” Damn it.

When he looked over his shoulder and met eyes with the older boy he almost felt... bad. They had all figured out Akechi’s true motive and plans with them even though they let him be part of the Phantom Thieves for the time being, pretending to be on friendly terms with him. And Akechi wasn’t even half bad, he could actually hold a good conversation with them while driving around in Morgana’s car form. But he still wasn’t really their friend, all things considered.

“You... read manga, right?” Akechi said and Ryuji blinked in confusion, turning his body around so that he could face the detective again.

“Yeah. The one I’m reading publishes weekly and I wanna get the new chapter.”

“Could I tag along?”

Ryuji stared at Akechi for a long moment before shrugging his shoulders. “Sure. Come.”

He got a small smile in reply and then they made their way out of the Shibuya Central Square to head for the bookstore nearby the weapon shop he had shown Akira back when they had started their business. He could still barely believe that it had already been half a year since then, so much had changed in those few months...

Shortly after they arrived at the bookstore. The walk there had consisted of a few awkward minutes of silence between them. Ryuji made his way directly to the manga section and didn’t even had to search that long for what he was looking for. When he turned around to Akechi he nearly got a heart attack as the other boy was standing way too close.

“Dude,” Ryuji said while taking a step back. “You freaked me out there!”

“I’m sorry,” Akechi said apologetically “I just wanted to see what you got. Because I do believe I’ve seen this before.”

“You prolly have. It’s quite popular.” He still handed the magazine over and Akechi looked at it before giving it back, thoughtfully.

“I think a fan once gifted me a special volume of this series. A... Limited Edition, I guess?”

“What? Really?” The blond couldn’t contain his excitement - from time to time the publishers released some special manga with extra content and an unique design but he had never managed to get his grasp on one.

Akechi smiled and nodded. “Yes. If you’d like you could come with me and I could give it to you. I don’t need it anyway.”

Wait.

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait.

Waaaaaait.

Ryuji, think! Is it really that good of an idea to go home with Akechi Goro? The guy who was planning to betray them all or already was betraying them? Who was probably going to try killing their leader? But... the manga...

It wasn’t like Akechi was going to kill him at his home... right? That would be way to obvious. So it should be fine. Probably. He hoped.

“Yeah, that would be cool. Thanks, dude!”

* * *

It turned out that Akechi’s apartment was only a 5 minute subway drive plus a 3 minute walk away. The building wasn’t anything too special and the apartment was nice and very tidy. But felt somewhat impersonal. After kicking his shoes off and entering the two-room apartment Ryuji thought that it looked quite... unlived in. The main room was living room and kitchen at once, with a sofa, TV, a small dining table with four chairs and a modern kitchen interior. Two doors were set next to each other at one side of the room, one leading to the bathroom (at least Ryuji guesses so) and the other one to Akechi’s bedroom which the brunet had entered first thing after entering. It all was so sparse of decoration; no plants, pictures or other objects that implied someone was actually living here in comfort. 

Ryuji waited at the door of the bedroom, somehow not wanting to intrude into something so personal, while Akechi had leaned down in front of his bookshelf to look for the manga. The bedroom looked a bit livelier than the living room, at least. No laundry laid on the floor and the queen size bed’s sheets were tidily made. But the desk in the room looked quite used with schoolbooks, folders and notebooks scattered on it, the bookshelf was stuffed with novels and another set of Akechi’s school uniform hung at the knob of his wardrobe. It was obvious that the older boy must be away most of the time or, if he was at home, spent his time in the bedroom.

“Here it is,” Akechi said, interrupting Ryuji’s train of thoughts.

With a few steps he was in front of the blond again, holding the manga in his direction.

“Thanks.” Ryuji took it eagerly in his hands and looked at it curiously, wanting to know what - besides the design - was different than the normal version.

“You’re welcome,” Akechi replied and went back into his bedroom, making some movements that made Ryuji look up curiously. Akechi was pulling off his gloves, setting them down onto his desk, before unbuttoned his blazer, hanging it into his wardrobe after slipping out of it.

That destroyed Ryuji’s picture of Akechi completely. In his mind he could only see Akechi with his stuck-up appearance, gloves and blazer and everything, but now, while Akechi was also untying his tie, he appeared almost like a human being and not like the robot he was portrayed as in Ryuji’s mind. It weirded him out. And he should probably leave as well, shouldn’t spend more time in here than necessary, although it was kinda rude-

It was at this moment that his stomach decided to let him know about the draining emptiness that resided in it. Just his luck.

“I’m glad that I am not the only hungry one here,” Akechi commented while positioning the tie at the hanger that his other school uniform hang at. “The day has been quite exhausting, am I right?”

“Yeah, it sure was. Mementos shouldn’t be as tiring as a palace, considerin’ we don’t even have to walk that much, but it still feels more... draining.” He shrugged. “Must be the setting. All this darkness and rails. The casino at least looked like a somewhat real place.”

“Yes,” Akechi added, closing his wardrobe and pushing his sleeves up to his elbows while turning to face Ryuji “That must be the case.”

Ryuji awkwardly changed the leg holding his weight while letting his gaze drift off of Akechi again. This situation surely was uncomfortable. At least for him. He just didn’t know what to talk about with the brunet. How to act.

He just opened his mouth to excuse himself, to tell him that his mother expected him home - which wasn’t the case, she was working late today and knew that he was out with some friends today with - when Akechi was quicker than him.

“Would you want to order some take-out and stay here for a while? We could talk a bit over the whole calling card business. It had been you who wrote the first one, back then for Kamoshida, right?”

“Y-yeah,” Ryuji answered, a bit flustered. He really didn’t want to talk about that, after all Ann and Morgana had teased him for how he had done it. “Or we could just watch a movie,” he suggested as an escape route instead. Wait. Crap. Just now he hadn’t declined the offer, he had just- urrrghh, stupid! Now he had to sit through this. Why was his mouth always so quick to act when his brain hadn’t yet figured everything out that he wanted to say?

Akechi seemed just as surprised as himself; he had probably expected a rejection.

“Alright,” he finally replied and went past him and into the living room. “What do you want to order?”

They settled for some pizza from a nearby place and Netflix’s Stranger Things. Akechi hadn’t seen the series yet and as they were searching for something to watch Ryuji had decided that the other one just had to see it. Akechi treated him for the food and it tasted really good, nothing like the deep frozen pizza he was used to. But still not as good as the self-made ones his mother sometimes made.

The second episode had just started when Akechi leaned forward, taking a sip from his soda, and was somehow way closer to Ryuji than he had been before when he returned to the sofa. Of course their arms had occasionally brushed against each other before but now their shoulders were constantly touching which was something that made Ryuji blink in surprise.

He felt like it was rude to move away and it wasn’t as distracting or annoying as it could be so he just chose to ignore it.

Until, a few minutes later, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Akechi had turned his head into his direction and kept staring.

“What’s wrong?” Ryuji finally asked after twenty seconds of trying not to notice and turned his head to look back. “If you’re mad about the shoulder touching thing, I wasn’t the one who started it!”

That made Akechi giggle and Ryuji blinked in surprise. He didn’t think he had heard him giggle before.

“You’re so cute, Sakamoto-kun,” Akechi said, still smiling.

What.

In.

Tarnation.

Did Akechi just call him cute?

And did that just make him blush?

Oh hell no...

“W-what?” he brought out after swallowing hardly.

“You heard me,” Akechi replied and leaned forward at the same time, putting his lips onto his.

WHAT.

IN.

TARNATION.

Akechi was kissing him.

K i s s i n g  h i m.

Ryuji.exe stopped working.

Launching Restart.

Rebooting System.

Searching for Cause for Malfunction.

Issue Found: Foreign object on his mouth.

Probability of being kissed right now: 100 %

It wasn’t a very eager or long kiss, just a few seconds of lip contact. But still.

“What the hell.” Ryujis voice was hoarse when he said this, his eyes opened wide. His brain had stopped functioning properly after all this and he could only stare at Akechi.

“I’m sorry,” Akechi said, clearing his throat, “I really shouldn’t have done that. But I couldn’t help myself.”

Ryuji’s throat felt dry and he didn’t know what to say or do. He was surprised that he hadn’t snapped at the other one already, that he managed to stay so calm. And, in hindsight, he also was surprised of his next action.

And that was shooting forwards and pressing their lips together again.

The thing was - he had been way clumsier than Akechi, and more forceful as well. And so it hurt a bit when their teeth clashed against each other, and the older boy yelped in surprise.

Ryuji wasn’t an experienced kisser - his only knowledge coming from movies, manga and that one time in fifth grade with a girl he had been together with for about two weeks - and felt like he was doing everything wrong. But it still felt good, in a weird way. It wasn’t a pretty girl he was kissing there, after all, but Goro Akechi. Who seemingly seemed to enjoy himself as well by the way his fingers started clinging onto Ryuji’s graphic tee.

When cold hands found their way underneath his shirt to touch his back he gave out a small noise of surprise and Akechi shamelessly used this to push his tongue into Ryuji’s mouth. Ryuji’s eyes, which had been automatically closed before, opened at this just to lock eyes with the other one’s dark red ones that seemed to have watched him for a while now. At this Akechi pulled back a bit.

“It this alright?” He asked breathlessly and with swollen lips, his hands still resting at Ryuji’s waist underneath his shirt.

“Yes. Yes it is,” Ryuji managed to say back before leaning in again and giving him a small peck on the lips. His arms had settled around Akechi’s slender frame and he noticed just how uncomfortable their position actually was. Both still sitting on the sofa in the same direction with only their torsos facing each other - but it could be so much easier.

“Just,” the blond continued. “Wait a second.” And at this he did the most logical thing his deep-fried brain could think of: Climbing Akechi Goros lap. The other one didn’t seem to mind as he pulled Ryuji closer, claiming his mouth again and closing his eyes while deepening their kiss. Ryuji followed suit and let one of his hands wander into Akechi’s neck and hair.

The blond couldn’t contain a moan when one of the hands underneath his shirt climbed higher, short nails burying themselves into his skin, just enough so it wouldn’t really hurt but was still clearly noticeable.  

A string of saliva still connected their mouths when Akechi pulled away again, this time choosing to attack his neck instead. He placed a row of wet, sloppy kisses down his throat before pushing his shirt away to start to nibbling at his collarbone.

“Ah~” escaped Ryuji’s throat and his fingers started digging themselves into Akechi’s scalp.

His other hand, the one that had been on the brunet’s waist all this time, now pushed away the fabric of the white button-up the other one was wearing to start exploring the other’s body as well, making Akechi shiver while still sucking a mark onto the blond’s skin.

Meanwhile Ryuji’s hand drew higher and higher before stopping at his chest. Then he decided to be a bit bold and flicked at Akechi’s nipple. God, he loved that sound Akechi made at that. And so he did it again and started to gently rub at the sensitive place.

Gasping, the brunet stopped sucking and instead leaned his forehead against Ryuji’s shoulder, clearly looking for support. The hand that had still been tangled in light brown hair now pushed it away, giving Ryuji free access to the older boy’s neck. And, remembering how good it had felt for himself, he started kissing and nibbling there.

At this the hand on his bare back curled into a fist and Akechi started panting into his shirt, creating a wet spot where saliva escaped his mouth. Not that Ryuji cared.

“Sa- Sakamoto-o-“ Akechi breathed out when Ryuji decided to gently lick his ear shell, playing with it with his teeth.

“Hell, just call me Ryuji, geez,” he managed to answer. Talking made him a bit more rational and he realised just how hard he was. And Akechi too, from what he could feel between their loins.

“Ryuji, then,” Akechi said and lifted his head, looking at him through lidded eyes. “Is it okay if I touch you down there?”

_Was_ it okay? That surely would cross a barrier they hadn’t stepped on yet - but hell, it wouldn’t matter now, that they had come so far, anyway.

“Sure,” Ryuji said, forming an idea in his head. “Just- just wait a second and-“

He got up, his legs wobbly, and was thankful when Akechi stabilized him with his hands.

Ryuji started an attempt to open his belt but his hands were shaking a lot, making it very difficult to coordinate himself.

“Why,” Akechi said, having come to breath again “Why don’t we continue this in my bed?”

And so they did. Falling into a messy, kissing tangle of limbs onto his mattress, moaning and roaming each other’s body with their hands, now being able to move more freely than in their former position. They had even managed to pause the episode they hadn’t been paying the least bit of attention to before stumbling into the direction of the bedroom.

Their shirts were soon cast away and Akechi, now being on top, couldn’t help but suck at one of Ryuji’s nipples while his hands held down the blond’s wrists over his head, making Ryuji squirm and wiggle underneath him.

“Ah- Ah- Akech- G-Goro,” Ryuji breathed out, giving himself allowance to use the other’s first name.

The formerly cold hands, now hot on his skin, left his wrists as Akechi’s mouth started roaming deeper, now kissing down his navel and bringing his hands down there to open his belt and fly, removing Ryuji’s checkered pants and his boxers in one swift motion. The blond’s dick was fully erected and leaking precum and Ryuji shivered when cool air hit his member. But soon that feeling changed when the brunet licked up his whole length, making Ryuji gasp even louder.

Then he felt a hot, wet cavern around himself and looked down through hooded eyelids to Akechi giving him a blowjob. Which felt amazing, although Akechi looked like he didn’t really know what he was supposed to be doing. It didn’t matter much anyway, because although it felt awesome, it wasn’t what Ryuji wanted in this moment.

“Come back up,” he cooed breathlessly and Akechi looked up in confusion but complied, letting his cock out of his mouth again and meeting Ryuji with a sloppy kiss, his arms leaning left and right next to Ryuji’s head and holding up his weight.

With one hand Ryuji was stroking through long, brunet hair while his other hand tried to get Akechi’s pants off of his body. Akechi helped him with one hand without interrupting their kiss. As soon as pants and boxers were kicked off Ryuji’s hand wandered to the older one’s dick, stroking it slightly what made the detective moan into his mouth and break the kiss just as Ryuji buckled his hips up, making their members touch.

“R- Ryuji...”Akechi whispered breathlessly, bringing one of his hands down as well. Ryuji could only moan as an answer while his hand down there tried to get both of their cocks together, what wasn’t as easy as it appeared, so he could stroke them both in one go. Akechi helped him and soon they build up a steady, quick rhythm while Ryuji attacked the other one’s shoulder, biting and sucking marks on there that made Akechi shiver on top of him.

“I will come soon,” the brunet said through gritted teeth, making Ryuji stop in making more love-bites and meeting him in a kiss again.

“Me too,” he answered in between their kiss and quickened up the pace on their dicks, making them both even more ecstatic. Soon after he noticed that Akechi started shaking and gasping even heavier and knew that it only was a matter of seconds now. And he felt himself getting close as well, felt the build up in his lower area.

“Ah!” Akechi made while coming, spilling semen over both of their underbellies. That sound alone, combined with the brunet breathing into his mouth, gave him the rest as well. A wave of pleasure overcame his body and his hand pumped around their cocks for the last time while riding out his orgasm.

“Goro,” he pressed out, shivering, while Akechi collapsed on top of him, his face burying into the blond’s neck.

Their legs were tangled and Ryuji pulled his sticky hand away from in between them to hug the brunet closer, still bathing in the aftermath of his orgasm and getting the urge to pull the other one’s warm body closer to himself. Akechi also removed his hand down there and let his arms lay at their sides, fingers carefully stroking over Ryuji’s sweaty skin.

They stayed like this for what felt like an eternity, just trying to come to breath again and to realise what they had been doing minutes ago. Ryuji felt torn. He felt like he had just betrayed his friends by sleeping with Akechi - and betraying his own morals. He didn’t even like Akechi all that much, why had he done that? Was he really so desperate to be touched, to be desired? He swallowed hardly. No. He wouldn’t work himself up about this, what had been done had been done and he couldn’t change it even if he wanted to. And it had felt damn good, so he wouldn’t complain.

“Are you regretting this?” Akechi asked, as if reading his mind, lips brushing Ryuji’s neck while he spoke those words.

“Nah,” Ryuji replied, bringing his non-sticky hand up to stroke through Akechi’s soft hair again. “Just thinkin’. We really shouldn’t tell the others.”

“Yes,” the brunet answered. “That’s why I tried to be discreet.” A finger came up to poke a place on Ryuji’s collarbone he couldn’t see from this ankle but knew well enough was the spot that Akechi had given him a hickey before. The skin already felt sore and hurt a bit at Akechi’s touch. His brown eyes wandered down to Akechi’s shoulder he had worked on earlier, also reddening from all his nibbling and biting - although it was more irritated skin and less covered in love-bites.

Ryuji hummed quietly and closed his eyes, leaning and turning his head a bit sidewards to let his forehead rest against Akechi’s in an odd ankle, breathing in the scent of the other boy.

Maybe he wasn’t as hetero as he thought he had been.

He had been staring at Akira’s butt an awful lot of times, after all. And it had always felt weird that he had to restrain his gaze in the school showers.

Great, now he not only lusted for girls’ bodies but also for guys’...

But he had to admit that he probably wouldn’t had pulled through as he had with Akechi if it had been Akira or Yusuke to kiss him so randomly. Ann - maybe. But there was something about the detective that gave Ryuji a special feeling. Maybe it was the fact that what they had done was kind of... forbidden. Exotic. And new. That he was their secret enemy. Ryuji really didn’t want to admit the small crash he might have been fighting down for a while now, neither to himself nor to anyone else.

But still, thinking about it now, Ryuji felt a bit confused. He didn’t know what to think. Having sex with the brunet was one thing but now, cuddling with him, still entangled and naked... was something entirely else. And as good as it felt, he had to stop this. Now.

“A-akechi... Goro? I mean...”

“Goro is fine,” the older boy breathed into his neck.

“Alright. Goro. I gotta go, I’m sorry. My Mum’s probably wondering where I am since I didn’t write her. And we’ve got school tomorrow.”

Akechi hummed at that and pushed himself off him, lying next to him now. Ryuji shivered a bit when the hot body left his and noticed the goosebombs that spread on his skin almost immediately. He really didn’t want to go. But he had to.

He sat up and looked down at himself and the mess that they’d made before grabbing his clothes from the ground.

“Here.” Akechi held a package of tissues in his face and Ryuji took it, gratefully.

“Thanks, man,” he said and started cleaning himself up a bit. He would take a shower at home and this would be enough for the subway ride.

Akechi next to him seemed to be doing the same himself, but now that their little arrangement was over Ryuji didn’t dare to look at the other one’s naked body.

And so they dressed quietly and Ryuji quickly darted out of the room and into the hallway. He grabbed his schoolbag and jacket before sitting down at the door to get into his shoes. When he was finished he stood up, awkwardly looking back into the apartment and noticing that Akechi was leaning against the doorframe of his bedroom, watching him.

“See you, then,” Ryuji said his farewell and raised his hand. God was this all embarrassing.

“Yes. See you.”

And then Ryuji was out.

He rushed home, getting out one subway station earlier to run home in order to build up some of the weird energy he suddenly got. And running made him think less about his emotions as well, so he could evade  _that_  for a little while longer this way.

His mother wasn’t home when he arrived. And a look at the clock - a bit after 7:30 - told him that she wouldn’t be for another two hours. And so he settled for a long, steamy shower to let his thoughts run free in his head. Afterwards, while only wearing a fresh pair of boxers, he looked at himself in the mirror. His lips still looked a bit swollen and red from all the kissing and the hickey on his collarbone was very noticeable. Other than that he didn’t look different. Huh, he had always imagined that losing his virginity would be something more special and obvious.

It was around nine pm when he decided that he couldn’t focus on the homework he had been trying to do for the last fourty minutes. He went into his bed instead, tired out and wide awake at the same time. His body was exhausted while his mind felt like it could go on a marathon.

He cuddled into his blankets and pulled his phone towards him. He got a message from Akira asking if he wanted to go to the movies with him after school tomorrow. Ryuji thought about it for a moment and left the conversation on hold for the time being. He didn’t know if he wanted to be near Akira right now.

Another message was from Akechi and Ryuji clicked on it with an odd feeling.

**07:48 pm**

**You forgot the manga at my place.**

**08:57 pm**

**Oops. Sorry.**  

Ryuji pressed the power button of his phone, making the screen go black, and let his phone rest on his stomach above the blanket, hands still holding it loosely. He stared at his ceiling and let his thoughts roam.

He had slept with someone.

And that someone had been a boy.

Not even a random boy, no - their enemy, Goro Akechi.

He was so screwed.

Ryuji couldn’t even tell if he had feelings for the brunet, the only thing he knew was that it all had felt really good. Even though it had happened more or less out of an impulse.

But did Akechi like  _him_? After all the detective had been the one to start it all. Maybe that was why he had asked to spend time with him. But Ryuji couldn’t imagine that he was the type of person Akechi could fall for. Being honest, he couldn’t think of anyone the detective could fall for, after all he had seen him as some kind of robot until now, with the perfect life and the perfect facade for the public.

His phone buzzed and he picked it up, looking at the new message. It was from Akechi.

**09:04 pm**

**It’s alright.**

**09:04 pm**

**I could just take it with me and give it to you**

**the next time we meet up with the group.**

**09:05 pm**

**Maybe it would be better if i were to**

**pick it up in person. We need to talk.**

**09:05 pm**

**Alright. Tell me when you’ve got time.**

He let the phone down again and pressed his forearm over his eyes. He really didn’t know what to do or think anymore. And he was so damn tired. Maybe a little sleep would help him and then he could figure things out in the morning...

* * *

No, he wasn’t able to figure things out in the morning.

And also not during school, even though his thoughts were chasing each other and he paid his classes even less attention than usually.

During lunch Ann and Akira looked at him weirdly and when they finally decided to ask what’s wrong he simply stated that he wasn’t feeling that well. He also declined Akira’s movie invitation.

Instead he wrote Akechi, asking if they could meet up after school. Soon after he got an answer from the brunet, telling him that he was a bit busy and could make time for him at 6 pm.

But that was fine because that way he would be able to go home, take a calming shower and eat something before going to the older boy’s apartment. He even managed to get some homework done, although not much, before he left again, this time not in his school uniform but rather in his black jeans and comfortable, purple jacket.

He rang the doorbell of Akechi’s flat at 6:12 and was let in rather quickly.

Ryuji blinked in surprise when he came up the stairs, seeing that Akechi was awaiting him in the doorframe - looking different than usual. He wasn’t wearing his school uniform or anything fancy-looking at all, just simple dark jeans and a blue sweatshirt. Maybe he wasn’t a robot after all.

“Hey,” Ryuji greeted him, a bit awkwardly.

“Hi.” Akechi stepped aside to let him in and Ryuji toed off his shoes while the door was closed behind him. The brunet kicked the ones he had quickly slipped in off as well and joined him in the small hallway, looking at him in anticipation. After all it had been Ryuji that had suggested to talk.

But when the blond looked up to meet eyes with the brunet his breath caught in his throat and he swallowed hardly. He was just too pretty. And when he started thinking about the him from yesterday, above him, panting and moaning his name, he almost blushed.

Ryuji had never had a great impulse control.

And so it wasn’t that surprising that he took a step forward, crossing the space between them, and kissed Akechi on the lips. It was just a quick peck, he didn’t even close his eyes, but the brunet still smiled at this.

“I honestly thought you would suggest pretending yesterday didn’t happen,” he said, stretching out his hand to let it rest on Ryuji’s arm, gently stroking up and down.

Ryuji shrugged. “I dunno what I want,” he said honestly and bit his bottom lip. “I’m confused. That’s all.”

Akechi hummed and let his other hand carefully settle at Ryuji’s waist, pulling him a bit towards himself before pressing a chaste kiss to the blond’s lips. This time Ryuji closed his eyes and returned the kiss, letting one of his hands settle on the brunet’s lower back.

He leaned back soon after, breaking their kiss and instead wrapping both of his arms around Akechi’s slender frame. The older one seemed a bit surprised at this but hugged him back anyway. Ryuji let his face bury in Akechi’s hair and breathed in. He smelled so good. And oh, how he had longed to hold him onto himself last evening.

“Why are you embracing me?” Akechi asked after a few minutes of just holding onto each other.

“Don’t know. Just felt like it. Does it bother you?”

The fingers on his back curled into fists and Akechi pressed him a bit closer. “No,” he murmured. “It’s nice.”

After a few minutes they decided to put on a movie and settled on the sofa. Ryuji felt like it was a mistake, spending so much affectionate time with someone he didn’t really like - even though he wasn’t so sure anymore if he truly hated Akechi. He should be. But he somehow couldn’t. Why did feelings have to be so complicated?

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Akechi’s voice cut through his thoughts like a knife, startling Ryuji.

“Nothin’,” he replied, glancing over to the brunet.

“You sure? You were biting your cheek, you know. You only do that when you are brooding over something.”

Ryuji blinked dumbfoundedly at this and turned his face towards Akechi. “What?”

The older one laughed at this quietly and leaned forward, pausing their movie. Before Ryuji had even realised what was happening the brunet climbed his lap and settled his arms around his shoulders.

The blond met the kiss halfway and put his own arms around Akechi. And so they kissed for a while, tongues meeting and fighting for dominance. They were quite into it, hands already roaming each other bodies, when the ongoing vibration of a cell phone interrupted them.

With a wet sound Akechi loosened from him and looked over his shoulder to the coffee table behind him where Ryuji’s phone laid.

“It’s your Mother,” he explained breathlessly.

“Shit.” Ryuji leaned forward, making Akechi huff when he was shoved a bit, and got a grasp on his phone, accepting the call and bringing the device to his ear.

“Yeah?” He said, letting his free hand’s fingers drum impatiently on Akechi’s back.

“Hello Ryuji. I was just worrying where you are since it’s already so late and you didn’t leave a note or something. Everything okay?” His mother’s voice sounded more curious than worried, but her concern was still clearly audible. After all he usually wrote her when he was staying out late.

“Yes, everything’s alright. I’m at a friend’s house, sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”

“Ah, okay. At Kurusu’s?”

“Nah, someone else. You don’t know him, Mum. I’ll come home late, so don’t wait for me with dinner, alright?”

“Sure. I just wanted to check on you. Love you, Ryuji! Have fun with your friend!”

Oh god, was he blushing at that? “Y-yeah, thanks. Love you too.”

“Now that was embarrassing,” he said after ending the call and changing his phone’s setting from vibration to mute. “She just wished me to ‘have fun with my friend’.”

Akechi giggled at this before leaning forward and pressing his lips to his mouth again. The blond let the phone fall down and into the couch cushions, bringing his hand back to the other’s body.

“Guess we’ll need to have that, right?” The brunet whispered into his ear after breaking the kiss, making a shiver run over Ryuji.

Who cared if Akechi was a traitor? And a boy? It wasn’t like they had started a genuine relationship yet, they had, more or less, only met for making-out or sex. And a bit of Netflix. It really wasn’t that much of a deal.

“Bedroom.” Was all that Ryuji could answer to this, making Akechi smirk and climb off of him.

When they landed on Akechi’s bed - which had fresh sheets on - Ryuji was on top, sitting upright on the brunet’s lap while removing his shirt. Akechi’s hands started travelling up his abdomen before stopping at his ribcage on the sides of his torso.

Ryuji’s breath stumbled out of his mouth while looking down at the older boy, taking in the sight of focused, lidded eyes and swollen lips. Fingers brushed over his collarbone and the mark left there before red eyes met his own.

“You’re so beautiful,” Akechi uttered, making Ryuji blush abnormally. No one had ever called him that before.

“W-what?” He made, stuttering and completely flustered.

At this Akechi sat up, meeting him face to face. “You heard me,” he said softly, making him feel like being in a déjà-vu, and pecked him on the lips. And again. And again. Then he pulled the blond down with him and deepened their kiss.

Through this Ryuji’s awkwardness fell off of him and he let his hands roam underneath the awfully soft sweatshirt Akechi was wearing, trailing over heated skin and earning a few moans out of this. The blond pulled the piece of clothing up to reveal Akechi’s pale upper body and he started placing some wet kisses there, resulting in the brunet burying his fingers in his short hair and gasping for air.

“R- Ryuji-“ Akechi mumbled, breath hitching in his throat. “I- I want you. Inside me. Please.”

Looking up from his action and meeting Akechi’s gaze Ryuji didn’t have to think long about it.

“Alright,” he answered, although a bit overwhelmed. “I- I just don’t know how...”

“I’ve got lube and condoms in my nightstand.” The older boy pointed into the direction.

Ryuji had to move half a meter to open the little drawer. Some bobby pins, hand cream and a bookmark greeted him, as well as an unopened package of condoms and a small bottle of lube, also unused and still in its wrapping. With everything still originally packaged... did that mean that Akechi had been just as much of a virgin as he had been until yesterday?

“What’s taking you so long?” Akechi asked, not really annoyed but more impatient.

“I was just... ah, forget it.”

He grabbed the objects and turned around, fiddling with the plastic wrapping of the lube. Akechi grabbed the small bottle out of his hands, skilful fingers able to do it quicker than he could’ve ever done it. So he settled on the easier task: ripping open the cardboard packaging of the condoms to take one out.

“Just spit it out.”

“Well, I was just wondering if I was your first one, too, y’know? With all of this still wrapped up and everything... You seem so experienced.”

The brunet laughed at this and let the lube drop on the bed while spreading his arms to embrace Ryuji before kissing him gently after sitting up a bit. “I’ve never done this before either, Ryuji,” he explained, making the blond blink a few times. “I only ever kissed a few girls but it just... didn’t feel right, you know?”

“Oh”, Ryuji made and Akechi snickered again. They kissed again, softly, almost too tenderly for the mood they were in right now, but Ryuji was still breathless when they parted.

“Come on, now,” Akechi murmured and lifted his sweatshirt over his head to throw it to the side, leaving his hair even more dishevelled as it had been before, then he started working on Ryuji’s pants’ fly.

Soon after they both were completely undressed and moaning into deep, sloppy kisses. Both of their members were really hard and Ryuji tried not to think much about the fact that they were touching down there.

“Ryuji,” Akechi interrupted their kissing. “ _Please._ ”

The way he pleaded made Ryuji’s desire even more unbearable and he grabbed the bottle of lube again, wondering what exactly he had to do. But, while scraping together all of the knowledge his, so it seemed, three last functioning brain cells had from watching porn, he thought he knew what his next step had to be.

He was nevertheless doubtful when he spread some lube on his fingers and brought his hand down there, found Akechi’s entrance and carefully pushed one finger inside.

“Is this okay?” He asked after his finger was halfway in, looking down on Akechi in question.

“Yes it is,” he got as a gasping answer and the hands placed on Ryuji’s shoulders pulled him down a bit so that the brunet could attack his neck and shoulder.

While Akechi was busy with giving him some hickeys he started moving the one finger and, as soon as he could properly move it around, added a second one. Ryuji tried to stretch his fingers as wide and carefully as he could when he suddenly felt a little bulb underneath his index finger. As soon as he touched it Akechi whimpered a bit against his skin, his fingers digging deeper into the blond’s back.

“Shit,” he shakily said and it was the first time that Ryuji heard Akechi curse. “Crap, don’t touch that or I’ll come right away.”

The older boy was shivering underneath him, seemingly overwhelmed by the wave of pleasure that had hit him as Ryuji had accidently touched what had to be his prostate.

“Sorry,” Ryuji uttered and was careful to not stimulate it again as he continued moving around inside the brunet, eventually adding a third finger. He had to admit that he was also growing gradiently more inpatient. His dick was as hard as it had never been before and it wasn’t helping that Akechi was now planting kisses on his chest as well while they both occasionally let out a moan.

“I think I’m ready,” the brunet pressed out after some more prepping. “And I can’t wait any longer. Please.”

Thus Ryuji complied and grabbed the condom he’d prepared earlier. He ripped the plastic packaging open and slid it clumsily over his erection before slicking up his cock with more lube and bringing it into position at Akechi’s entrance. He wasn’t really sure what to do with his legs either and had to shuffle around a bit before finding a comfortable position.

And then he began pushing the tip in, stabilised by his hand. Both he and the older boy concentrated hardly during that first few centimetres and as soon as his tip was buried in the brunet he leaned forward, kissing the other boy deeply again.

“Is this fine?” He asked after pulling away. “Is it okay if I try moving?”

A hoarse “Yeah” was what he got as an answer and he tried going deeper, carefully. He stayed still for a moment before moving out a little and going further in. It felt amazing. Akechi’s hole was enveloping his cock and it just felt incredible, they really had to do this quick before he came too soon from the sensation alone. But he still had to be slow enough for the whole thing to not hurt the boy beneath him - who had pulled him into a sloppy kiss again.

And so it took Ryuji a couple of minutes before his full erection was inside, both of them already panting and being close. It felt a bit weird - different from the short blowjob he had received the day before. But nevertheless good. Not only that alone, but also the feeling of being as close as he possibly could to Akechi, their bodies constantly touching, hands roaming around at his stomach, back and neck, mouths connected.

He started thrusting now, building a slow rhythm at first that made Akechi stop their kissing and bury his mouth underneath Ryuji’s ear instead, pulling his head down, biting and nibbling there. His legs wrapped around Ryuji’s waist and he pulled him close.

“Ryu-u-ji, faster!” He begged, nails digging into his back. “Please!”

It made a slapping sound when he picked up a quicker pace, his balls colliding with Akechi’s backside. Coated in sweat and panting heavily he knew that they couldn’t hold that out for much longer.

He brought one of the hands that supported his weight down to stroke Akechi, making the latter hiss into his ear, shaking underneath him. And when he changed his thrusting ankle, hitting that spot from earlier again, Akechi came hardly, crying out and quivering. That brought Ryuji to the edge as well.

“Shit,” he huffed out as he was so so so close-

His head got pushed up again from its resting spot at Akechi’s shoulder and he got pulled into a sweet kiss while he came, his gasps being swallowed while his muscles were trembling. He managed a last push inside before being completely spent.

He collapsed onto Akechi, although being careful with placing his weight, and pulled his softening member carefully out of the other boy.

“That. Was amazing,” he murmured breathlessly.

“I agree,” Akechi added, removing his legs from Ryuji’s body and panting just as heavily.

“Although,” Ryuji said. “I really wanna take a shower. Must be even worse for you.”

The brunet laughed at this and hugged him, fingers softly ghosting over the scratch marks he had left earlier. “If you’d like to... we could go take one together. I can give you some comfortable clothes.”

Ryuji hummed in agreement, kissing Akechi’s neck. “Sounds good.”

And so they picked up themselves a few minutes later, after they had caught their breath again, and went into the bathroom. Akechi had taken some clothes and fresh towels for them and as they were to worn out for anything else they only shared some almost innocent kisses underneath the hot water.

Afterwards, dressed in sweatpants and wide shirts, they settled back on the sofa, Akechi lying half on top of Ryuji while they were just dozing off and lazy-talking a bit. Ryuji wrote a text to his mother, saying that he would stay at his friend’s house for the night. He was way too tired for the way back home and it was just too damn comfortable with Akechi. He still had this voice in the back of his mind telling him to not get too attached but honestly? That voice could just go and shut up.

“Goro?” He asked after a few minutes of complete stillness from the older boy. As he only received a low hum for an answer he decided that it was time for bed.

He actually managed to pick Akechi up bridal-style, he hadn’t been sure if he’d be strong enough his worn-out state, and carried him to the bedroom, settling him onto the cushions and underneath the slightly stained blanket. Nothing he could or wanted to do about that now.

He went back out, turning off the TV and shutting the lights, before setting a alarm for an early time - he would have to go home in the morning and get his schoolbag, after all. After being done with all this he climbed into bed as well, breathing in Akechi’s scent that basically enveloped him now, and snuggled himself into the soft sheets and cushions.

“Did you carry me here?” Akechi muffled sleepily, shuffling closer and wrapping his arms around the blond’s body.

“Yeah. You were completely knocked out there.”

He heard and felt a yawn down at his collarbone where Akechi had decided to settle his face and eventually had to yawn himself, making the brunet chuckle lightly.

“Good night, Ryuji,” he mumbled, already drifting off again.

“Sleep well,” the blond answered, also closing his eyes and pressing the other body close to himself before easily falling asleep as well.

* * *

“The hell did you do to me,” Ryuji said in shock while staring at himself in the mirror on the inside of Akechi’s wardrobe’s door. His left collarbone still had the hickey of their first time and now his right shoulder was covered in red-purplish love-bites as well.

“I already told you that I’m sorry,” Akechi called from outside his bedroom, amusement in his voice.

“That doesn’t change the fact that I look like a grape!”

“Noone will see anyway.”

“But they hurt!”

“Well, guess we’ve both got spots we’re sore in, so stop complaining. Now come back out here and help me with the dishes.”

They had just had a nice breakfast together, although neither of them was a great morning eater. They had mostly just drunk their respective coffee and cacao while picking at their toasts.

“Yeah, I’m coming,” Ryuji answered before pulling the shirt he had come in yesterday over his head, leaving the pair of sweatpants and the shirt he’d borrowed on the bed.

He went out and dried up the dishes Akechi had just cleaned while occasionally casting a few glances to the brunet out of the corner of his eye. Maybe this whole procedure - cuddling, staying over night, having breakfast and washing dishes together - was a bit too much of a touch of domestic life for their weird agreement. They had talked about it over breakfast: They couldn’t tell anyone and wouldn’t engage a serious relationship. Just some meetings and sex; ‘friends with benefits’ Akechi had called it. And Ryuji wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, because even though he now admitted to himself that he had come to quite of a liking to the detective he couldn’t let his feelings get the better of him, not when he knew what the other’s true intentions were.

Soon after he left to head home, taking the manga he had ultimately tagged along for with him. He didn’t meet up with Akechi that evening but instead saw that movie with Akira. He felt awful, like some kind of double agent, especially because he had to be very careful about his shirt not slipping to the side, but that still didn’t stop him from going back to the detective’s apartment the next day...

* * *

The next few weeks had to be the most chaotic in Ryujis life, like, ever. He continued going to Akechi until they fought against Sae Nijima’s Shadow and Akira got arrested, possibly even killed. Sure, they had everything planned out, but there was still the chance that it could all fail and their leader would end up dead. Everyone’s nerves laid blank during these couple days of waiting until Akira came back, tired-looking and beaten up - but alive.

And then they started infiltrating Shido’s palace, a perverted and creepy cruiser filled with shady cognitive people. By the time that they had finally managed to get the last letter of introduction, a few days into their heist, they were all beat and just wanted to get back to the real world as soon as possible.

That was when Ryuji saw him again, about one and a half weeks after their last meet-up, waiting for them.

Akechi had this... crazy expression on his face, as if all logic was blown out of him. Revealing them to the truth about his father being Shido, his true goals and how he had been the one behind the mental shutdowns.

“You sure sound confident, but don’t go pressin’ your luck,” Ryuji commented on the brunet’s intention of fighting. “We already know all your tricks from back when you were workin’ with us.”

Red eyes flickered over to him, nothing left from the fond gaze he had had for him most of the time. He really had gone real nuts. But what he said next still stung in Ryuji’s chest, after all the time they had spent together. “Joker,” Akechi said in a condescending tone. “How could you be so successful while having such an idiot as a partner?”

“Huh?” Ryuji spat back, angry and hurt at the same time. “Quit bluffin’!”

“It’s no bluff,” he heard from Makoto’s calm voice behind him. “If he is truly behind the mental shutdowns, he’s likely only shown us a fraction of his strength.”

This earned them a chuckle from Akechi while he changed his stance, preparing himself for battle. “I’ll tell you all about my true power... while you die. You can take that knowledge with you to the grave.” With a movement of his arms two shadows appeared behind him, strong ones. “Kill them,” he ordered while clenching his teeth, making his sword appear.

“The mental shutdowns aren’t the only incidents people are talking about,” he explained further. “There are also the breakdowns which cause people to turn psychotic, creating accidents and scandals... Those cannot be explained unless the true culprit has the power to make people’s hearts psychotic.” An insane laughter escaped him again, making Ryuji cringe. “That’s right! It’s my power - one that you don’t have! Allow me to show you!  _Persona_!” He literally screamed for the dark creature to appear behind his back, making them all step back in alert. That sure as hell wasn’t Robin Hood. No, that wasn’t a shadow working for his intentions either, like Joker had them. It was another side of him, yet another mask he had hidden that gloomed above them like a dark thunderstorm.

Akechi said something else, but Ryuji really couldn’t focus on that. Instead his ears were still ringing by the way he had called for his different Persona, so angry and desperate. That wasn’t the Akechi he knew. That wasn’t even the Akechi he had tried to hate, that was someone entirely different. The brunet stepped out of his fight, wanting his shadow puppets to show them his powers, and Ryuji had to concentrate on the situation at hand when the first one started to attack them.

It was not that hard of a battle but it quickly turned into one when Akechi stepped in himself after they had defeated both of the shadows. And then... everything went to shit. It turned out that Akechi really had a second persona, hell, even another Phantom costume that was the complete opposite of his white noble-like attire; it was black and blue and remembered of a knight’s armour. He also made himself go psychotic and cussed and cursed at them, completely unlike to the polite person he had been before. His dark Persona was called ‘Loki’ - and the God of Mischief seemed to be quite fitting for him now.

But they still managed to defeat him, although just barely and hurt badly. Even though Ryuji’s countless wounds of that battle had been healed by Ann he still felt more tired than he had ever been before in a Palace. The knowledge that it was Akechi, the person he had slept with so many times, was capable of even hurting  _him_ so badly made clear that his intention was killing - it was just too much for him.

“You ready to call it quits?” Ryuji asked, almost softly, when the brunet finally went down, groaning in anguish and with a tattered armour.

Akechi shook his head, looking up with pained eyes and meeting his gaze. Ryuji felt like he saw something like regret flickering through his red orbs when he noticed some of the blood that had stayed on the blond’s face. “I know,” he said breathlessly. “I’ve had enough.” Then he looked at Akira, biting his bottom lip. “You’re so lucky. Lucky to be surrounded... by teammates who acknowledge you... And once Shido confesses his crimes, you’ll all be heroes.” His voice had started shaking and he looked remorsefully back at the ground. “As for me, people will find out my past deductions were just a charade. My fame and trust will vanish.”

“I see,” Morgana said in an understanding matter. “So you were turning people psychotic, then solving the cases yourself. And you did that by joining forces with Shido.”

Akechi seemed to let something like a whimper out. “In the end... I couldn’t be special...”

Ryuji couldn’t stand it. No, he was neither physically nor mentally ready to see Akechi shaken like that. “Dude,” he said gently. “You’re more than special...”

The brunet looked up, surprised, and looked at him again. He didn’t even advert his gaze from Ryuji when Makoto said: “It pains me to admit... but your wit and strength far exceeds ours. We only defeated you by teaming up... I was honestly... envious of your natural ability. It was frustrating to see how much my sister trusted you.”

“I have no intention of forgiving you for what you did to my father, but...” Haru added, voice calm and understanding. After all she had to fight against the Shadow of her father herself in the past. “I sympathize with you. I wholeheartedly understand wanting to get back at the adults who took from you...”

“But when you gained the power to fulfill that desire, you only used it for your own self-benefit,” Yusuke said and Akechi finally managed to get his eyes off of Ryuji’s face to look at the others as well.

“If you have the ability to use multiple Personas, you probably have the same talents as Joker,” Futaba guessed, always her logical self. “But because you went through life alone, the power you awakened was fueled by lies and hate... Still, you thought that was enough, right...? That part, I totally get.”

“You excelled at everything over us... yet that was the one thing you lacked,” Yusuke claimed and, for a short moment, silence settled on them and only the sounds of machinery around them could be heard. Ryuji swallowed and turned to his teammates, an idea setting itself in his head that he hoped the others would tag along with.

“All right, let’s go back and get that callin’ card ready!” He exclaimed and then turned back into the brunet’s direction, rolling his right shoulder in a way to show he was ready for succeeding. “We’re gonna take Shido down. What’re you gonna do?”

“It’s be a problem if you kept getting in our way,” Ann affirmed. “Wanna come along and help us settle things?”

“...Are you all idiots?” Akechi’s eyes flickered between them, confusion showing on the part of his face that was visible. “You should get rid of me... if you don’t want me getting in your way.” He made a short break and a sound escaped him as if he was choking back some tears. “You all are truly beyond my comprehension.”

It felt like the situation was neutralized - they had managed to understand Akechi better, had managed to knock some sense back into him and make him realise that it wasn’t too late to change. Ryuji was ready to step forward and help the beaten-up boy with standing up when someone else walked into the room, making them all gasp in surprise.

 “Akechi...?” Ryuji managed to press out, eyes widening. No, that was...

“Another one!? Wait, is he...” Yusuke’s voice sounded just as startled.

“That’s... Shido’s cognitive version of Akechi!” Morgana spoke out and just as he had said this the other Akechi pulled out his weapon, making them all go into fighting stance again.

“I’ll deal with the rest of you later,” the Cognitive Akechi said with a monotone voice. His eyes were fish-like and empty, never blinking, and his expressionless face being creepier than the insane grimace Akechi had had before. “Captain Shido’s orders... He has no need for losers. Well... this just moves the plan up a little. He was going to get rid of you after the election anyway.”

“What...!?” Akechi seemed truly shocked at this, his eyes getting big while he stared at the other version of himself.

“Did you truly believe you’d be spared after all the murders you undertook? Don’t tell me... Were you actually feeling good about having someone rely on you for once? Oh, by the way, the captain says it’s time you receive retribution for causing the mental shutdowns.”

“What the hell, man!? That bastard’s the one who put him up to it!” Ryuji screamed out, angry beyond measures. No... that other Akechi wasn’t really going to pull the trigger and kill the real one, right? There was no way they would be able to pull their own weapons in time to protect the brunet. All he could do was stand there and watch, watch how... watch how the person he liked would get killed.

Akechi turned to look at him for a short moment before his expression hardened as he stood up, chuckling. “I see,” He said with a toxic undertone. “I was wondering how he’d protect himself if I used my power to tear through his Palace. Turns out  _you’re_  how. So he’s making a puppet kill me... Sounds like something he’d do.”

“That’s right. I’ll do anything. But look at yourself... you’re the true puppet.” The false Akechi’s voice was mocking and his emotionless facade dropped, his facial featured turning into something completely insane. “You wanted to be acknowledged, didn’t you? To be loved? You’ve been nothing but a puppet from the very beginning.”

Ryuji clenched his fist and moved his arms angrily, even though he knew he couldn’t step forward and fight that bastard. “You little...!”

“So this... is how Shido thinks of Goro Akechi... It’s... It’s too horrible!” Makoto sounded like she was about to cry when she said this and if Ryuji wouldn’t feel as angry and protective right now he would notice his own eyes swimming in tears.

“It’s still not too late! We can change his heart together!” Haru announced, voice firm. “Even if he’s your father... No,  _because_  he’s your father!”

“What’s all this nagging about...?” The Cognitive Akechi turned towards them now, looking really pissed off. “Want me to take care of you first?” At this four more shadows appeared, surrounding Akechi and his cognitive self.

 “No... He’s not alone! He has Shadows too...!?” Ann blurted out.

“You know what? I’ll let someone volunteer to take his place. Who knows, you might delay his death.” The false Akechi’s face had turned into the expressionless facade again, his eyes seemingly dead again.

“Damn you...!” Ryuji spat out, helplessly. If there was only something he could do...

“You guys are all about doing things for others, aren’t you? Oh, that’s just the same as me. I’m going to take all the blame for our captain. I’ll die for him too.”

“This is what Shido thinks of Akechi-kun, even after making him help with the murders...!?” Makoto gasped out, unbelieving. Ryuji also couldn’t believe how cruel all of this was.

“Here, I’ll give you one last chance. Shoot them,” the Shadow offered Akechi now.

Akechi snickered at this, but it was different than his insane laughing from before. “I was such a fool,” he muttered, pulling out his gun and aiming at their leader.

“Yes... That’s the you our captain wishes to see,” The false Akechi encouraged him, the crazy expression returning to his face.

“...Don’t misunderstand,” Akechi stated calmly, locking eyes with Akira. But his gaze flickered over to Ryuji for a short moment before he turned back to the Shadow. “You’re the one who’s going to disappear!” He screamed while shooting, the bullet hitting his Cognitive self into the abdomen. The shot one went down on his knees, giving out an aching sound. While they could all just stared at the situation in shock the brunet aimed into their direction again, startling them, before shooting past them and hitting a button on a control panel somewhere behind them.

An announcement could be heard through the speakers: _“The watertight bulkhead door has closed. All personnel within the partition wall, evacuate at once.”_ Immediately a rolling gate closed in front of them, separating them from Akechi and the Shadows.

“Whoa, what is this!?” Futaba asked in confusion while Ryuji jumped to the gate, desperately banging against it.

 “Akechi!” He called out, his eyes getting wide with fear. No... no, that couldn’t be! He couldn’t let him sacrifice himself for them! If only he had- if only he had jumped to his aid earlier instead of being startled by the shot...

“Hurry up and  _go_!” Was screamed back through the barrier, making Ryuji tremble. As if they could leave him here like this...

“You fool!” Yusuke exclaimed in shock. “Are you trying to get yourself killed!?”

“The real fools... are you guys,” Akechi said back in a breathless voice. You should have just abandoned me here a long time ago... You would have all perished... if you had tried to face these with me weighing you down..” They heard him coughing heavily. Oh no...

“Akechi-kun!” Makoto said in worry, stepping nearer to the gate.

“Let’s make a deal... okay?” He requested, his voice showing the pain he was feeling. “You won’t say no... will you?”

“Why at a time like this...!?” Yusuke commented.

“Change Shido’s heart... in my stead... End his crimes... Please...!”

“I promise,” Akira answered at this.

“You bastard...!” The other Akechi pressed out, the change of tone making it easy to tell it was not the real one.

“So, my final enemy is a puppet version of myself... Not bad.” His voice was muffled now that the detective wasn’t talking to them anymore. They heard two clicking sounds, coming from guns, and everyone knew exactly what was going on the other side.

“Akechi-kun!” Haru called out and stepped forward. The whole group’s desperation hang over them like fog, digging into their chests and making their hearts ache. Or maybe it was only Ryuji who felt so extremely lost.

“Isn’t there some way to get this open, Mona...?” Ann asked, desperately. But just as she ended her sentence two gunshots were audible, startling them all. Ryuji clenched his fists and bit his teeth together. No...

“His signal is... gone...” Futaba said in a mournful voice. “I’m only getting... the weaklings...”

“No...” Ann whispered to herself.

“Come on, you guys!” Morgana called out, trying to give them their motivation back. “We can’t let a rotten criminal like Shido do what he wants any longer! We can’t... no matter what!”

And so they dragged themselves back to the nearest Safe Room, crashing down and sitting in silence while gaining the strength to return to the entrance. Ryuji had to force his tears back, not wanting to cry in front of the others.

But as soon as he barged through the front door of his apartment later that day, after they could finally advance to the place where the treasure would materialise and they theoretically could send the Calling Card, he fell to his knees and felt a sob escape his throat.

“Ryuji!?” He heard his mother call out, running to check on him to find him like this, bailing his eyes out on their Genkan. “What’s wrong, honey?” She asked, coming to him and pulling him into a hug, kneeling down in front of him.

He couldn’t talk and only buried his face in her shoulder, shaking with grief and ache and hugging her back, clinging onto her.

She managed to drag him into their living room and on the sofa, not caring that he still had his shoes on, where she continued hugging him and making soft “Shh” noises.

“I lost- lost someone today,” he choked out, voice hoarse, after some more minutes of crying. “I... I think I loved him but now- but now... he’s gone...”

“Oh, honey,” she silently answered, leaning back and softly kissing his forehead. “I’m so sorry.” She had tears in her eyes herself and Ryuji chuckled a bit at that - what turned into a choking sound at the end.

“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “We didn’t even had a real relationship yet, just spent a lot of time together. But it still hurts, you know?” He couldn’t tell her about them more or less only meeting to fuck. And he couldn’t tell her that he was dead either, after all she didn’t know about him being a Phantom Thief. But it still felt good to talk with someone about it. And he knew that he could be vague with his mother, that she wouldn’t ask any further questions if he didn’t want to talk about it.

“You’re not mad, right?” He asked after a few minutes of him sniffling and his mother comfortingly rubbing his back while passing him paper tissues. “About me likin’ boys, I mean...”

“Oh, Ryuji,” she said and pulled him closer. “I don’t care about stuff like that, you should know that by now. The only thing that counts for me is that you’re healthy and happy. And I will always be there for you, no matter what.”

That made him almost cry again and he tightly hugged her back. “You’re the best Mum ever,” he murmured into her hair. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Ryuji,” she said. “And I always will. My little baby... You’ve grown up so fast...”

“Muuuum,” he made, laughing a bit and feeling slightly better.

He still bailed his eyes out that night, not being able to sleep until exhaustion pulled him into a restless slumber filled with nightmares and Akechi’s face.

* * *

When he woke up, almost trashing alarm clock against the wall because he had fucking finally managed to get a few hours of good sleep, his whole body was drenched in sweat and he had to drag himself into the shower.

His mother presented him the breakfast he had loved as a child, bacon and eggsforming a smile on his plate, and he appreciated that she tried so hard. He would  _so_  make sure to get her an awesome Christmas present this year.

Three days later, after they had projected their message on every public screen and TV channel in whole Tokyo and went to the Palace, he was finally able to pay Shido back for all the crap he had made Akechi go through and even though it was only his Shadow it felt still good as hell. When the Palace collapsed around them he really thought they were goners as well, but with managing to get that safe boat on time he had made sure that they all escaped. Even though they were mad as hell that he made them worry about his possible death in the explosion he had has just woken up from in the real world. He still wondered how exactly he had managed to survive that.

The next weeks were filled with waiting for the election and Shido’s change of heart. It was awful, suddenly having so much free time again. It made him lay in bed and stare at the ceiling for hours, thinking about Akechi and their last meeting at the day they had send the Calling Card to Sae Nijima. He had visited the older one at that day and they had, like always when they had met up, slept with each other. Akechi had looked almost rueful when he had exclaimed that he was thrilled for what would happen the next day. But it could have also been Ryuji’s imagination. He still wondered how he had managed to develop feelings for a traitor, but he knew that feelings like this couldn’t be explained logically. He only knew that his heart hurt and that this lead to everything else hurting as well.

And then, a month later, he had experienced dying himself. Kind of. Disappearing and getting revived into a weird prison called ‘Velvet Room’ surely counted as something like dying. But they did manage saving the world in the end. Even though Akira got locked up unjustifiable.

They worked really hard in convincing other people that their leader was innocent, but in the end it was Sae who had gotten the authorities to release him in February. And knowing that his best friend would leave a month later, just after he had come back, sucked as well. But it wasn’t like he was gone forever, not like someone else. Someone he still sometimes imagined to see out of the corner of his eyes just to turn around and realise that he was still gone, still dead.

And it continued hurting.

And it had also hurt like hell when Akechi’s manga had fallen into his hands, letting him fall down on his knees and shaking heavily while tears escaped him. The thought of simply throwing it away crossed his mind, but he couldn’t. Not when it was the only thing that had remained for him.

He had thought about going to the apartment again and trying to break in, just to take a look at the place again where he had steadily managed to fall in love with the brunet. But he decided against it.

It also seemed like a cruel joke to him that now, finally, he was able to admit the feelings he had shoved away for so long. Now, now that it was too late. Not that it would have ever been easy for them before the fight against Sae, with Akechi plotting to betray them and them knowing, but still...

Valentine’s Day sucked as well, but it was okay because he knew that Akira also hadn’t gotten any chocolate. And if Ryuji was honest to himself, he didn’t really want chocolate from anyone anyway. Not even from Akechi. The only thing he wished for was to hold the brunet in his arms again, safe and sound.

When he left Leblanc in the evening he had one of the moments again in which he imagined to see the detective. Of course he turned his face into the direction, like he always did, but it was only a random guy with slightly longer hair. He didn’t even had the same hair colour but Ryuji’s breath had still hitched in his throat when he had looked, hope still flooding his senses. What a pain in the ass...

And so he didn’t turn around at first when he left the subway station in Shibuya, turning to go to the station with the line that would bring him home, and heard an awfully familiar voice say: “Good thing you haven’t gotten anything; this way I don’t have to get jealous.”

Ryuji just continued walking, saying to himself that it was just his imagination and probably just another citizen with a maybe slightly similar voice. But when the voice called his name after him he stopped, eyes widening.

Could it...

_Could it really be?_  

He spun around on his heels to see Goro Akechi standing a couple of metres away from him. Was this one of the cruel dreams he usually woke up from with tears staining his pillows? He brought his left hand to his right wrist before pinching hardly, noticing that the pain felt normal. He still wasn’t completely convinced but that didn’t stop him from dashing forward and crashing into the older boy, hugging him tightly. Goro stumbled a bit but managed to keep his balance, returning the hug.

“Akechi?” He asked and a sob escaped his throat as he buried his face into the chest of the other one, hearing a heartbeat and being able to breathe in the familiar scent of coffee, the other’s laundry detergent and something that was just Goro.

Goro.

God, he wasn’t able to find a word that described how he felt right now, his whole mind was just overwhelmed by joyful disbelief. 

“And here I was thinking that we already were at first name base,” the brunet answered and Ryuji chuckled without wanting to, still crying into the other’s jacket and not giving a damn about the looks they got from strangers.

“How did you survive?” He asked with a trembling voice, looking up with an awfully wet face and a runny nose.

“I honestly don’t know,” Goro answered, bringing up his right hand to brush away some of the tearstains. Ryuji noticed that the other’s red eyes were wet as well, swimming in tears while looking him. “I just woke up in the real world that day, my body hurting like hell and the Meta-Nav gone from my phone. I think my Personas somehow managed to save me, losing their powers during this and resulting in me not being able to return.” He shrugged and pulled out a package of tissues from his pocket, pulling one out and handing it to the blond.

Ryuji gratefully took it and cleaned his nose before pushing the used tissue into his pants’ pocket and taking Goro’s still unusually cold hand.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” he answered. “What counts is that you’re alive. And that you didn’t bother to show yourself until now! I was really depressed, ya’ know!”

“I’m sorry,” the brunet answered, intertwining their fingers. “I really am. I just... didn’t want to until Akira was back safely and the case officially closed. Or, almost closed as it is right now.”

Ryuji grumbled at this, but honestly - how could he be angry? He was just glad that he had Goro back, that they could be together now - if the older boy even wanted them to be. Well, but he sure as hell couldn’t wait any longer to kiss him.

And so he did, letting his left, free, hand wander to Goro’s neck to pull him towards him, kissing him gently. Goro returned the kiss just as softly, humming a bit while leaning in and getting his right hand up to brush over the blond’s cheek.

They knew that they were getting weird looks from the passerby’s around them, but both of them couldn’t care less. And it wasn’t like they were grossly making out or anything, heck, Ryuji even started crying again out of happiness.

“Come,” he said tenderly to Goro after their lips separated again and brushed his new tears away, squeezing the other’s hand. “I’ll take you home with me. My mother would love to get to know you and she’s got something good to eat on the stove today.” He adverted his gaze a bit awkwardly. “I mean... Just if you want to come along.”

But Goro gave him a warm smile and started walking towards the station, pulling Ryuji with him. “That would be nice,” he said, turning his head into his direction. “After all it is common courtesy to meet the guardian of the person you love.”

Ryuji turned completely red at this. “W-what?” He stuttered out and, in the next moment, hoped for one particular response.

“You heard me,” Goro chuckled, giving him a glance out of the corner of his eye. Of course he wouldn’t be disappointed. A warm feeling spread in his chest and his lips curled up, a dumb smile extending at his face.

“You’re stupid,” Ryuji murmured, still flustered, but squeezed the hand he was holding. “And I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> As gloves are often symbolizing someone hiding his true intentions or having a secret I tried to work with that a bit.  
> I also switched the narration from ‘Akechi’ to ‘Goro’ at the end, feeling that this would make it more personal and fluffy. A cookie to everyone who noticed!  
> I also just had to make a theme out of: Akechi says something cute - Ryuji stutters "What" - Akechi says "You heard me".  
> I’m not planning on writing a sequel to this because I think that the end is well rounded and nice. But my headcanon is that Ryuji’s Mum gives her son’s boyfriend almost as much affection as she gives her own son and that Akechi couldn’t be any happier. Ryuji eventually brings him back to his friends and they accept him once again, this time for real, and he is even a part of the group when they drive Akira home an the end of the game. Just the fluffy ending that we all think and know Akechi deserves C’:


End file.
